Delivery/recovery system for septal occluder

A delivery system for delivering a medical device to a living body, the device adapted to be elongated along an axial direction when in the sheath in a delivery position, the device including one or more expanding portions that expand in a radial direction perpendicular to the axial direction when delivered to form a deployed configuration, the device further including means for holding the device in the deployed position when the device is in the living body, the system comprising:

• means for limiting movement by the device in the proximal direction;
• means for limiting movement by the holding means in the proximal direction;
• means for limiting movement by the device in a distal direction;
• and means for enveloping the three limiting means;
• the three limiting means and the enveloping means being movable relative to each other and to the device in a series of steps for allowing the expanded portions of the device to expand, and for the holding means to hold the device in its expanded configuration when in the deployed configuration.